can we head back to Hawaii now? (and other Friday musings)

First up: I’m all over the web today!!! You can find my “5 ways” post over at www.shimelle.com – the topic is glittering up the holidays. Shimelle also has a discount code (you’ve got to use the link on her blog!) for my on-line classes if you’re interested.

I’m also guesting at www.simonsaysstampblog.com doing a new “holiday crafting” post featuring Basic Grey.

Think I’m being too active? I promise I’m not! This was crafting done before I got sick. Now as I rest so very much (doctor’s orders!) I am re-visiting some of my favorite past projects and posts. This one was created for display at CHA (for Tim Holtz), and it remains an all time favorite but also I was thinking how I’d rather be swimming with sea turtles… and this is as close as I’ll get today.

This is the first layout I created upon returning from Hawaii. Created the morning after our return actually – and for the always amazing Mr. Tim Holtz (for display at CHA). Today I wanted to share it because it is a perfect example of how I let my photos + story lead the way.

With so much to say about the AMAZING experience that was learning + snorkeling with the Ocean Project in Maui and swimming along side Sea Turtles, these word stickers were perfect to help tell some of my story. The photos sent to us from the experience were very small files, not suitable to print large at all as I normally do. Rather than have super grainy, virtually unrecognizable pixelated photos I just printed off in a strip as seen above.

I wanted lots of journaling space, that I knew. I also wanted some kind of a circle tying it all together and swirling around. I went with it. Added more layers as needed. At the end (you can see it above) I sprinkled UTEE in platinum on my project and heated from underneath to get metallic sparkly little dots.

One of the cornerstone elements of my personal style is that I let my key inspirational element (story, photos, etc) be my guide. This means that sometimes a page will have more product, other times less technique. While that might at first glance not seem consistent, it actually is very much so. Because I let the ideas flow from a place that is real, true, pure. I do my best to keep it that way and not think about what someone else would do, or all the possible ways I could be doing something. I just roll with what feels right.

Sometimes I think that one of the reasons I’m considered a “fast” crafter is just this. When I’m making something I fully focus on it, I’m thinking about my story that I’m telling through words and photos – but also paper and embellishments. I make sure I like what I’m doing and while it doesn’t always turned out as I had hoped, I have a real good time. ALWAYS. There is a reason I’m always saying “Happy Crafting!” I really mean it. I live by it.

Supplies Used:

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